Looking for a simple daily devotional practice? d365 offers a free, five-step daily devotion—Pause, Listen, Think, Pray, Go—written especially for youth and young adults and used by readers around the world. Available online and as a free mobile app.
Read MoreJesus calls his followers “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”—an identity rooted not in personal piety alone, but in lives shaped by justice, mercy, and love of neighbor. Drawing on Matthew 5 and Isaiah 58, this week’s Faith Lens reflection explores how discipleship is lived out through concrete acts that loosen injustice, feed the hungry, and shine God’s light in the world.
Salt does not lose its saltiness, and light does not cease to shine—but both can be rendered ineffective. This reflection invites us to consider what gets in the way of living our baptismal calling and reminds us that even when we fall short, we remain beloved children of God, still called—and empowered—to be salt and light for the sake of the world.
Read MorePastor David Pavesic invites pastors and congregational leaders into a four-session online book study based on Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work. Building on the recent Possibilities in Partnership presentation, this study explores how mission can be strengthened through collaboration and shared ministry. Offered in both morning and evening Zoom sessions, the study creates space for honest conversation, faithful discernment, and hope-filled imagination—because while we may not be able to do this work alone, we are better together. Morning sessions start 2/17, evening sessions begin 2/19.
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon Women of the ELCA are offering four scholarships to attend the Women of the ELCA Triennial Gathering, July 16–19, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. Each scholarship covers registration plus $500 toward travel and lodging.
Applications are due April 1, 2026, with notifications sent by April 15. Congregations are encouraged to share this opportunity widely. Learn more about the Gathering and how to apply today.
Read MoreWhat began as a creative response to pandemic disruption has become a defining ministry practice at Desert Cross Lutheran Church. Through thoughtfully curated monthly Faith Formation Playlists for children, youth, and adults, Desert Cross offers flexible, accessible “faith on the go” that meets people wherever and whenever they are—far beyond Sunday morning.
This behind-the-scenes look explores how a whole-church team collaborates around shared themes, integrates worship and learning, and embraces the belief that faith formation happens 24/7. Read the full story to learn what other congregations can take from Desert Cross’s intentional, community-centered approach to lifelong faith formation.
Read MoreEach month, ELCA Worship highlights resources from Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, to support worship leaders, planners, musicians, and congregations. The February update features new and updated tools for deepening worship, engaging Scripture, nurturing young faith, and strengthening commitments to racial justice.
Highlights include See Me, Believe Me, an updated guide by Yolanda Denson-Byers that explores allyship with leaders of color in the ELCA and reflects on the leadership of Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry; the Lutheran Study Bible, Second Edition (NRSVue); new Lent and Easter resources for children; and fresh organ music for the season of Lent. These resources offer practical, theological, and creative support for congregations across the synod. Read more from ELCA Worship to explore the full list and details.
Read MoreIn the latest Pivot podcast, John McGinley shares how they're equipping everyday disciples to plant new worshiping communities in gyms, schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
Read MoreFor February 1, 2026, the lectionary invites us to reconsider what it truly means to be “blessed.” Drawing from Micah 6:8, Psalm 15, 1 Corinthians 1, and Matthew 5:1–12, this week’s Faith Lens reflection reminds us that blessedness is not earned through success or circumstance, but promised through God’s steadfast presence—especially among those who mourn, hunger for justice, and are pushed to the margins.
In Jesus’ Beatitudes, God’s promise is clear: God is with those the world overlooks, calling us not inward toward self-interest, but outward toward justice, kindness, humility, and solidarity. Grounded in grace, we are freed and transformed to live as God’s people—bearing witness to a kin-dom where abundant life is for all.
Read MoreELCA Coaching is launching a new chapter—Wayfinding in the Commons—a monthly online gathering inviting faith leaders to navigate uncertainty together through shared wisdom, spiritual practice, and community. Beginning February 4, participants will meet on First Wednesdays for 45 minutes across time zones.
Grounded in the Lutheran conviction of the priesthood of all believers, these gatherings welcome all members of the Body of Christ. Learn more and register at elcacoaching.org/events/wayfinding-in-the-commons.
Read MoreArtificial intelligence is reshaping daily life—and raising urgent ethical and theological questions. On Wednesday, February 25, 2026 (8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. PST), Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary will host a Disputatio on Artificial Intelligence, online and in Berkeley, inviting leaders into faithful, rigorous inquiry grounded in Lutheran tradition.
The day includes worship, lunch, expert-led conversations, and the Elizabeth and Harvey Mohrenweiser Lecture on ethical decision-making at the intersection of faith, science, and medicine. Learn more and register at admissions.callutheran.edu/register/AIDisputatio.
Read MoreELCA Coaching is offering a full month of free January opportunities for ministry leaders, including gatherings, workshops, formation offerings, and racial justice and wellness training opportunities—most requiring advance registration. Additional subsidized leadership trainings begin in April. These resources support leaders across the ELCA, helping strengthen ministry, deepen resilience, and remind us that nobody journeys alone. Learn more at elcacoaching.org/events.
Read MoreSecurity planning is not about fear—it is a ministry of care. In 2026, the Grand Canyon Synod is launching a year-long series on congregational security, grounded in theology, stewardship, and practical wisdom.
This opening reflection frames security as an expression of faithful welcome and invites congregations to explore the synod’s new Congregational Security & Preparedness Resources page as we move through the year together.
Read MoreThe January 2026 issue of Administration Matters offers timely guidance to help congregations and church leaders start the year with clarity and confidence. Highlights include Portico’s 2026 New Year Checklist for benefits administration, updated Internal Revenue Service mileage rates effective January 1, best practices for church benevolence programs, and practical insights on repurposing aging church buildings.
Also featured are tips for more productive meetings and essential considerations for secure digital giving in an increasingly complex online landscape. These concise resources are designed to support faithful stewardship, sound governance, and effective ministry administration. Read the full January 2026 issue of Administration Matters to learn more.
Read MoreIn this latest Pivot podcast, Beth Felker Jones explores why Protestant faith still matters in a moment when many are converting to Catholicism, embracing Orthodoxy, or deconstructing entirely.
Read MoreBeginning January 1, 2026, ELCA-Primary members in the Grand Canyon Synod have access to expanded mental health and wellness services through Spring Health. These EAP benefits include therapy, coaching, and flexible care options that support the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.
One of the synod’s Spiritual Directors, David Bullock, is now available as a Spring Health coach while continuing to offer free monthly spiritual direction. Rostered ministers are also invited to explore the synod’s full list of spiritual directors as trusted companions for discernment, renewal, and faithful ministry.
Read MoreA recording and resources from Possibilities in Partnership, a synod-wide Zoom conversation held January 15, 2026, are now available. Led by Rev. David Pavesic, the gathering invited congregations to imagine new ways of sharing ministry, leadership, and resources in a challenging season.
This post includes the full video recording, downloadable slides, an image slideshow, and a link to the ELCA’s new Church Property Resource Hub. It also outlines upcoming opportunities for deeper discernment, including future online sessions and a potential in-person event this fall.
Read MoreIn this week’s Faith Lens reflection for January 25, 2026, repentance is reframed not as shame or judgment, but as an invitation into God’s unfolding reign of justice, healing, and community. As Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee, Matthew presents repentance as a turning toward hope—especially for those living under despair, exclusion, or injustice.
Drawing on Isaiah and Matthew’s Gospel, the reflection invites readers to consider who hears this good news most clearly today, how Jesus’ anti-imperial vision challenges the status quo, and how we are called—together—to follow, heal, and share the work of God’s kingdom.
Read MoreThe ELCA 2025 Annual Report cover is now available for congregational use. Congregations are encouraged to use this cover for annual reports and meetings as a way to connect local ministry with the wider work of the ELCA.
The 2025 report highlights our shared life in Christ, grounded in Colossians 2:6–7, and offers a snapshot of how Mission Support, ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, and Where Needed Most help carry out God’s work across the church and the world. Download the cover and preview what’s inside.
Read MoreOn Saturday, January 24, 2026, leaders across the Grand Canyon Synod are invited to gather in person at the Synod Office in Phoenix for a hybrid Evangelism and Congregational Vitality Workshop, connected by Zoom with regional partners and PLTS. The gathering runs 9:00 AM–2:00 PM, includes lunch, and blends shared teaching with local conversation. RSVP requested for food planning—contact Pastor David Pavesic at David.Pavesic@elca.org.
Read MoreThe ELCA invites lay leaders and rostered ministers to a 3-day Evangelism and Congregational Vitality Workshop, January 22–24, 2026, at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA. Sponsored by PLTS and the ELCA New Ministry Development and Evangelism Team, this gathering equips leaders for evangelizing and congregational renewal. Registration is required by January 6. A related Saturday hybrid workshop is also available locally through participating synods.
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